Good Reads

Frankie Boyle on the US presidential election.


Why do both parties rage against bias in what is actually a laughably servile media? Maybe it’s because the political class have an instinctive contempt for asking the public to decide anything meaningful, such as policy. So their campaigns have to be largely symbolic affairs about hope or hard work or whatever flavour of horseshit is polling well. Most campaign spending goes on advertising (65% of Obama’s “grassroots” campaign of 2012 was media spend) and advertising speaks in symbolism. Thus the parties may actually distrust any kind of rational inquiry, as what they’re saying doesn’t, and can’t, make any sense. Or maybe the reality of what they’re voting on is something nobody dare express. They’re voting on the exact speed of the drift toward a future of armies run by corporations corralling permanently travelling communities of cooks, cleaners and sex workers, as they underbid each other outside the entrances to gated communities to ensure they’re the ones let inside to service the fortunate. A future where the pursuit of happiness will make about as much sense as mounting an expedition to reach the horizon.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...v/03/frontrunners-for-president-frankie-boyle
 
http://cdn.static-economist.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/full-width/images/print-edition/20151031_ASP003_0.jpg

FAR from preaching abstinence from earthly pleasures, the Buddhist priests behind the counter of Vowz, a Tokyo bar, encourage the opposite. There are different paths to Buddha, says Yoshinobu Fujioka, the head priest, as he pours a gin and tonic for a customer. “Spiritual awakening can come in any conversation. We provide that opportunity.”

Such are the doctrinal contortions that Buddhists in Japan sometimes practise in their struggle to remain relevant. Some of the nation’s 77,000 Buddhist temples run cafés, organise fashion shows or host funerals for pets. Still, hundreds close every year. By 2040, 40% may have gone, laments Hidenori Ukai, the author of a new book on the crisis in Japanese Buddhism.


Read: Temples of doom - Japan’s Buddhist temples are going out of business
 
Frankie Boyle on the aftermath of Paris:

We want Paris to be remembered in 1,000 years and we don’t remember the names of the victims 10 minutes after reading them – we don’t remember Amine Ibnolmobarak, a Moroccan émigré who was designing an architectural solution to the 2,000 deaths at Mecca; we don’t remember Elsa Delplace and her mother Patricia San Martin, who died shielding Delplace’s young son from bullets. We remember that the female terrorist was blond and one had no pants on. We remember that the terrorists came in with refugees even though they don’t seem to have done, especially since they were all French or Belgian. We expect our descendants to remember Daft Punk and we don’t even remember that invading Iraq caused the birth and rise of Isis. And we won’t remember any of this once the new series of Britain’s Got Talent starts.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...paris-psychopathic-autopilot?CMP=share_btn_tw
 
All things NOT Romani

Here is a comprehensive list of all things that are often labeled as, but are definitely not Romani, and thus, not “Gypsy”.

1. Princesses: there is no such thing as Romani royalty, despite the fact that it is a common belief. There are some self-appointed Romani “Kings” and “Queens”, but these are usually just prominent members of a particular community. There are no royal families or royal bloodlines within Romani culture, so “Gypsy” princesses do not exist.

2. Crystals: crystal healing was historically used by some East Asian cultures, as well as a few Native American cultures. Crystals are neat; they are quite aesthetically pleasing. However, the “crystal healing” trend is an appropriation of various indigenous religions and often involves the use of “chakras”, which is also appropriative. Crystals have nothing to do with Romani people and we have no history of using crystals in this manner.

3. Bindis: we originated in India, and yes, some Romani people still use facial adornments similar to the bindi, they are not bindis and the bindi is not Romani, nor is it “Gypsy”.

4. Tribal prints: “tribal” anything is often the appropriation and commodification of Native American/First Nations, and various African patterns. Aside from the fact that the term, “tribal”, has many racist undertones, I have yet to see any sort of “tribal” print that has anything to do with traditional Romani motifs and patterns.

5. Kuchi coins: or really, anything Kuchi. The Kuchi people are a nomadic ethnic group from Afghanistan. They are of no relation to Romani people and neither is any of their traditional jewelry or clothing. Despite the fact that they are nomadic, they are not “Gypsies”.

6. Tarot cards: these are an Italian invention. Sure, they have been used by some Roma in the fortune telling business, but the cards themselves are not Romani at all.

7. The nazar: those blue “evil eye” charms and amulets that are becoming very popular are definitely not “Gypsy”. They are very specific to Mediterranean cultures, like Greece, Turkey, Egypt, etc.. Some Roma from Mediterranean and Balkan countries do own nazar amulets due to cultural exchange and assimilation, however, they are not traditionally part of our culture. We have a concept of the evil eye, but our beliefs and traditions regarding the evil eye are more similar to those held in India and Pakistan, not the Mediterranean and West Asia.

8. Hamsa & Hand of Fatima: “Hamsa hands” are not Romani at all. They are a cultural and religious feature from MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) countries. They are significant in both Islam and Judaism. Muslim and Jewish Roma may use the symbol for religious reasons, but it was never part of Romani culture. It is not at all “Gypsy”.

9. Dream catchers: I really shouldn’t have to put this here, but apparently I do. Dream catchers are a specific to several Native American/First Nations cultures and anyone making, selling, or buying non-Native made dream catchers is engaging in cultural appropriation. Period.

10. Medicine bags: medicine bags of any kind are also not part of Romani culture and not “Gypsy”. Along with dream catchers, medicine bags belong to Native American and First Nations cultures. I understand that they are listed in Patrinella Cooper’s book and she claims they are part of Romani religious practices, but that is completely false.

11. Magic: Magic, Magick, Wicca, Paganism, etc.. none of these are Romani. None of these are “Gypsy”. Our traditional religious beliefs are rooted in Hinduism and contain Christian and Islamic influences. That’s it.

12. Peasant blouses and dresses: these fashions are not related to traditional Romani dress. They are not at all “Gypsy”. The name of this type of clothing is pretty self-explanatory, as well, so I am not sure why everyone insists that peasant blouses and dresses are “Gypsy”.

13. Flower crowns: while flower and wreath crowns are used for certain religious and cultural events by certain Romani communities, it is only due to Slavic influences.

14. Feathers: Roma have never used feathers in any traditional motifs, nor as part of our traditional clothing or jewelry. Feathers are not “Gypsy”. They are just.. feathers.

15. Belly-dance: belly dancing originated in the Middle East and is a feature of various MENA cultures. Because Romani and Domari people have found a niche in the entertainment industry, some Roma and Dom living in MENA countries practice and perform belly-dance. However, belly-dancing is not traditionally part of Romani culture. Traditional Romani dancing is not belly-dance. Belly-dance is not “Gypsy”.

16. Tie-dye: tie-dying, as it is called in the Western world, has roots in parts of Asia and Africa. In fact, the entire method of tie-dying was not introduced to the United States until 1909. Our modern concept of “tie-dye” was not popularized until the late 1960s. The method of tie-dying was an appropriation of dying methods from the previously mentioned regional cultures. Nothing about tie-dying has to do with Romani people.

17. Moroccan “pouf” ottomans: these cool-looking leather ottomans hail from North Africa. They’re super neat and while floor cushions of sorts are a fairly common thing in many Romani homes, these are specific to a certain region of the world and they are not at all “Gypsy”.

18. Your soul: unless you are ethnically Romani, no, your soul is not “Gypsy”.. no ifs, ands, or buts.


http://big-gadje-world.tumblr.com/post/133672010291
 
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Every Day on Average (ages 0-19)

Every day, 48 children and teens are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention.

Every day, 7 children and teens die from gun violence:


- 5 are murdered
- 2 kill themselves.

Every day, 41 children and teens are shot and survive:

- 31 shot in an assault
- 1 survives a suicide attempt
- 8 are shot unintentionally

Every Day on Average (all ages)

Every day, 297 people in America are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention.

Every day, 89 people die from gun violence:


- 31 are murdered
- 55 kill themselves
- 2 are killed unintentionally
- 1 is killed by police intervention
- 1 intent unknown.

Every day, 208 people are shot and survive:

- 151 shot in an assault
- 10 survive a suicide attempt
- 45 are shot unintentionally
- 2 are shot in a police intervention

In One Year on Average (ages 0-19)

Over 17,000 (17,499) American children and teens are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, or by police intervention.

2,677 kids die from gun violence:


- 1,671 children and teens are murdered
- 827 children and teens kill themselves
- 124 children and teens killed unintentionally
- 24 are killed by police intervention
- 30 die but the intent was unknown

14,822 kids survive gun injuries:

- 11,420 are injured in an attack
- 280 survive a suicide attempt
- 3,061 are shot unintentionally
- 62 are shot in a police intervention

In America, 1 out of 3 homes with kids have guns and nearly 1.7 million children live in a home with an unlocked, loaded gun.

In One Year on Average (all ages)

Over 108,000 (108,476) people in America are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, or by police intervention.

32,514 people die from gun violence:


- 11,294 people are murdered
- 19,992 people kill themselves
- 561 people are killed unintentionally
- 414 are killed by police intervention
- 254 die but intent is not known

75,962 people survive gun injuries:

- 55,009 people are injured in an attack
- 3,791 people survive a suicide attempt
- 16,334 people are shot unintentionally
- 827 people are shot by police intervention


http://myactivism.tumblr.com/post/134562163937/every-day-on-average-ages-0-19-every-day-48

http://www.bradycampaign.org/key-gun-violence-statistics
 
http://cdn.thedailybeast.com/content/dailybeast/articles/2015/12/28/tamir-rice-decision-shows-you-can-get-away-with-murder/jcr:content/image.crop.800.500.jpg/48379616.cached.jpg

Tamir Rice Decision Shows You Can Get Away With Murder

Authorities promised a full and fair investigation after a cop shot the 12-year-old—and then failed to get him medical attention. So much for promises.

12.28.153:55 PM ET

You can get away with murder.

You can shoot a child in an open park. You can lie about the incident. You can refuse to cooperate with investigators. You can, if a Cuyahoga County prosecutor and grand jury are to be believed, escape indictment even when the entire episode is captured on videotape.

Tamir Rice did not deserve to die. The man who killed him, Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann, will never spend a day in prison.

It has been 13 months since Rice was gunned down at a Cudell Recreation Center last winter. He was carrying a toy gun, playing imagery games in the snow Nov. 22, 2014, when someone dialed 911 to report a “guy with a gun.” The dispatcher was advised that the “gun” was likely a toy.

Authorities promised a full and fair investigation. In the end, after months of fact-finding, a grand jury refused to indict Officer Loehmann or his partner Frank Garmback, even though the shooting was initially ruled a homicide.

Loehmann shot Rice once in the torso. But that wasn’t his only misdeed that night. Even after he and Garmback realized their mistake—after it dawned on them that Rice was a child, not a “guy,” armed with a toy, not a “gun”—neither man rendered medical aid, as the boy lay mortally wounded on the concrete.

When Rice’s older sister struggled to get to his side, they handcuffed and stuffed her into the back of their cruiser—rather than address her with the compassion she deserved. And, while Tamir lay dead in the morgue, the officers filed criminal charges against him.

During a press conference Monday, Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty said he recommended that the panel decline to indict. McGinty claims that the officer’s actions were “not criminal,” but the result of “a perfect storm of errors.”

The grand jury, which has been meeting since October, agreed with McGinty.

But who can believe the words of a man who once accused a grieving mother of attempting to profit from her child’s death?

“The law gives the benefit of the doubt to the officer who must make split-second decisions,” he told reporters, “when they reasonably believe their lives or those of innocent bystanders are in danger.”

“The Supreme Court,” McGinty proclaimed, “prohibits second-guessing police tactics.”

Officers Loehmann and Garmback no doubt spent Christmas with their respective families. Samira Rice, Tamir’s mother, spent that day—as she will every other—without her son.


Read: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/28/tamir-rice-decision-shows-you-can-get-away-with-murder.html
 
Good to see people making their dreams come true.

http://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/201512301117.jpg http://www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/AmalgamCoffeeComics.jpg

Philadelphia woman opens comics shop that focuses on diversity and coffee

12/31/2015 BY HEIDI MACDONALD

I can’t think of a better story to end this year with than that of Ariell R. Johnson, reportedly the East coasts first black female comics shop owner. Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse opens in the and coming Kensington part of town and will offer not only comics but a cozy coffeeshop vibe.

This “geeky” hybrid hopes to contribute to the burgeoning Kensington section of Philadelphia. Amalgam hopes to build community around comics, coffee, and relaxing with friends, and also through hosting geeky and diversity-themed workshops, movie/TV screenings, book signings, and BYOB nights.

“I got the idea for the shop about 12 years ago, when I was still attending Temple University,” said Amalgam’s owner, Ariell R. Johnson. “My favorite coffee shop was directly across the street from my comic book store of choice. So, each Friday, I would buy my books at Fat Jack’s, go across the street to Crimson Moon, and read everything I bought."


http://www.comicsbeat.com/philadelphia-woman-opens-comics-shop-that-focuses-on-diversity-and-coffee/?utm_content=bufferb5e74&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
 


Netflix And Chew: How Binge Watching Affects Our Eating Habits

by Susmita Baral
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt...-how-binge-watching-affects-our-eating-habits



Bingeing has become many people's favorite way to consume television. But marathon-viewing doesn't just change how we watch, it also affects how we eat.

While the culture of the Netflix all-nighter is relatively recent, researchers have been studying the links between TV viewing and mindless eating for years. And the news isn't good for our waistlines.

"There's convincing evidence in adults that the more television they watch, the more likely they are to gain weight or become overweight or obese," says Lilian Cheung, director of health promotion and communication at Harvard School of Public Health and author of Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life.

She says the sedentary nature of prolonged viewing as just one contributing factor: "TV viewing may also promote poor dietary behavior due to frequent exposure to unhealthy food and beverage marketing, as well as providing more opportunities for unhealthy snacking, and interfering with adequate sleep."

Preliminary research has also suggested a connection between binge viewing and higher rates of depression and increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, among other concerns.

University of Houston associate professor Temple Northup has looked at the relationship between food consumption and the number of hours spent in front of the television. Northup's study, published in the January 2015 issue of The International Journal of Communication and Health, surveyed 591 undergraduate students on their viewing, eating and drinking habits. Consistent with past studies, he found that the more people watched TV, the more they engaged in unhealthy eating. "The explanation is relatively straightforward — the act of watching TV is a sedentary activity that encourages snacking," says Northup, the interim director of the university's Jack J. Valenti School of Communication.

Lots of research shows mindless eating plays a prominent role in how much we ingest while distracted with what is happening on screen. "Watching TV while eating is also common behavior," says Cheung. "When we are distracted while eating, or eating mindlessly, we are not paying full attention to the food in front of us, and miss the satiety cues letting us know that we are full."

Overall viewing time is certainly a key factor. But the genre of what you are watching may also influence how much you munch. Researchers from Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab have found that action content (say, The Walking Dead) made subjects eat twice as much — 98 percent more, to be exact — than their counterparts who watched a talk show. And sad content (like the sci-fi drama Solaris) made participants eat 55 percent more than those who watched more upbeat content, like the romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Researchers speculate that action and adventure shows may promote mindless eating because people consume more to keep up with the pace of the content. "It might be the level of distraction — how engaging the content is," says Aner Tal, a research associate at Cornell's Food and Brand Lab. "Another possibility is that it's the feelings associated with what you are watching. Specifically, anything that involves a stress reaction enhances people's levels of cortisol — and we know that leads to overeating."

With tearjerkers, the increase in snacking can be credited to stress responses but also to emotional eating, which compensates for sadness. "It makes you feel temporarily better," says Tal.

Less-obvious cues may also modify eating habits. A separate study from Cornell's Food and Brand Lab found that food-related content on television makes those who are watching their diet ("restrained eaters") eat more. Led by Food and Brand Lab Director Brian Wansink, the study found that, when subjects watched episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants in which the protagonist was selling chocolate bars, they ate more than their counterparts who watched an episode unrelated to food.

But you don't have to cancel Netflix and Hulu subscriptions to save your waistline. Cheung recommends separating food and television by unplugging while eating.

"To reduce mindless eating, one can practice mindful eating for more control over their relationship with food," says Cheung. "When eating, only eat. Turn off the television [and] computer...





 
Beware: Silicon Valley’s cultists want to turn you into a disruptive deviant

In Silicon Valley’s conception of the universe, everything is already rotten and corrupt and the only source of purity is to be found in Californian basements, where the hardworking and hoodie-wearing saints are toiling to accelerate progress.

Ideologically, Silicon Valley is rapidly coming to occupy the space traditionally reserved for the radical populists of the right. In a sense, Silicon Valley is like the cosmopolitan and tech-savvy equivalent of the Tea Party: the startup contingent wants us to believe that, while capitalism works in theory, today’s practice is, in fact, very different.

Thus, public institutions have been co-opted by big (or, rather, bigger and older) business and it’s now the citizens who have to pay the price – quite literally – through higher transportation and housing fares, restrictions on what they can do with their property and time, and so on. Worse, all those public institutions are a drag on entrepreneurs – the only class worth defending.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/03/hi-tech-silicon-valley-cult-populism
 
The dark side of Dubai


But something has flickered in Sheikh Mohammed's smile. The ubiquitous cranes have paused on the skyline, as if stuck in time. There are countless buildings half-finished, seemingly abandoned. In the swankiest new constructions – like the vast Atlantis hotel, a giant pink castle built in 1,000 days for $1.5bn on its own artificial island – where rainwater is leaking from the ceilings and the tiles are falling off the roof. This Neverland was built on the Never-Never – and now the cracks are beginning to show. Suddenly it looks less like Manhattan in the sun than Iceland in the desert.

Once the manic burst of building has stopped and the whirlwind has slowed, the secrets of Dubai are slowly seeping out. This is a city built from nothing in just a few wild decades on credit and ecocide, suppression and slavery. Dubai is a living metal metaphor for the neo-liberal globalised world that may be crashing – at last – into history.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html
 
Get down, fellow Alaskans, to some 'hardcore Alaska soft'

https://www.adn.com/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_620/public/images/topic/concerned/0930-concernedwintercoming.jpg?itok=7PyPXeaS

"Feast your polarized polycarbonate antifog lenses on my gear: merino wool, Gore-Tex, neoprene, Capilene and recycled polyester in 18.5 micron-gauge yarn, windproof, waterproof, stain resistant and, of course, gluten free."

"My base layer wicks sweat so effectively, I risk dehydration whenever I wear underwear. That’s why I drink so much. And often go commando."

Fun Read
 
I have always been intrigued by BoShek. When Ben Kenobi enters the cantina on Mos Eisley looking for a pilot to take himself, the boy and two droids to Alderaan, his first choice is a smuggler sporting arched eyebrows, killer muttonchops, and a black and white space suit more akin to an astronaut than a fighter pilot. While we cannot hear their dialogue, it is obvious that Kenobi asks him for a ride to Alderaan–and for whatever reason, the space pilot says no.

Finding Boshek
 
http://static.fleshbot.com/data/images/straight/006/014/082/vesper_web.jpg?1454455905

I Wore a Vibrator Necklace Around All Weekend and This Is What Happened

Feb 03, 2016 | Posted by Colette Callaway

So here's a little story for you: One of my friends, in an effort to both tip off the Fleshbot editorial department and satiate the curiosity of his friend, asked if I'd ever heard of the Vesper. The what? I asked. Is a jet pack? A motorcycle? A streamlined smoothie blender? Anything with that name must be used by people who drive cars too expensive to sell at dealerships. "No," he laughed. "It's a sex toy." Ah. I should have known.

I was slightly embarrassed I'd never heard of a sex product touting such a name, but the sheer volume of sex toys available for purchase on the Internet makes it almost impossible to keep up with all of them and subsequently review the Worthy Contenders. Even for sex writers like myself. Not one to waste more words than necessary, my friend sent me a link so I could see the little beast for myself.

And you know what? "Vesper" is the only appropriate name.

Rule No. 1: All the best orgasms are portable

And with that, I introduce you to the Vesper from LoveCrave. I'm still not entirely sure how their marketing team brainstormed the name for this bad boy, but I do know that the Vesper is James Bond's personal martini. It would be fitting, would it not? The sleek, small design may be technically too large to look like it's just any old necklace—people who see you wear it understand it has some significance immediately—but it's not at all reminiscent of a dick. Not one bit. The Vesper is approximately -2 percent phallic.

After it came in the mail, some of my coworkers told me it looked like a bullet, and some said it looked like knitting needle, which probably says a lot about their personalities. Anyways, I think it looks like a golf tee, so I named it Tiger Woods. (I almost went with Byron Nelson, but I decided this was more fitting.)


http://static.fleshbot.com/data/images/straight/006/014/082/thevesper_web.jpg?1454453892

Read: http://straight.fleshbot.com/6014082/i-wore-a-vibrtaor-necklace-around-all-weekend-and-this-is-what-happened
 
How we failed to protect Kesha

"What is the worth of a woman? What is the worth of her body, her safety, her heart, her career? And once you determine it, how does it hold up to the worth of a man, a business, a conglomeration? Or does it not hold up at all?"
 
Gods of Egypt is a critical and box office failure

Awful reviews and criticism of whitewashing seem to have hurt Gods of Egypt in the long run. The $140M film is projected to make as little as $12 million over the weekend. While Hollywood whitewashing is a huge issue, one tweet highlighted the silver lining for people of color here.


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http://41.media.tumblr.com/486ce34670e6a718d4894d8e5a0cdfa1/tumblr_o36dk3e2fj1r83d7lo4_1280.png

For the final nail in Gods of Egypt's coffin (or more appropriately tomb), we turn to Variety's Justin Chang.

"With its burnt-yellow cinematography, its excessively gilded production design, and its blinding flashes of sunlight, Gods of Egypt at times doesn't suggest a movie so much as a giant cinematic tanning salon — all the better, perhaps, to darken the pearlescent skin tones of most of the actors on display."


http://mic.com/articles/136404/the-gods-of-egypt-reviews-are-in-and-the-whitewashing-hasn-t-gone-unnoticed?utm_source=policymicTBLR&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=social#.hukSfpK8g
 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...rom-white-life-will-help-build-a-new-america/

I love this quote from Jim Wallis' book

"If white Christians in America acted more Christian than white when it came to race, black parents would be less fearful.

Sanders talks about race, he still talks in that sort of progressive model in which racial justice is an issue for people of color,” Lopez said. “Whereas what he needs to recognize is it’s an issue for people of color and it’s an issue for our democracy and our economy.” He is right. And implicit in his broadening of the issue is a recognition that racial justice is not solely an issue or concern for people of color. Everyone has a role to play in righting our nation’s racial wrongs. This dovetails perfectly with what I have praised in Clinton’s remarks on race during this campaign.

Ending systemic racism requires contributions from all of us, especially those of us who haven’t experienced it ourselves,” Clinton saidin a speech last month at Harlem’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. “White Americans need to do a better job of listening when African Americans talk about the seen and unseen barriers that you face every day. We need to recognize our privilege and practice humility, rather than assume that our experiences are everyone’s experiences.”
 
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